Apparatus for producing electrical cables



April 1, 1930. H. R. MASSINGHAM APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRICAL CABLES Filed July 19, 1926 Patented Apr. 1, 1930 a UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE HENRY noenns MASSINGHAM, or LA ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW NEW YORK Application filed July 19,

This invention relates to an apparatus for producing electrical cables, and more particularly to an apparatus for producing eleceach of the pairs of the group having definite a metallic sheath for tion of moisture and in i applied thereto.

color combinations and the whole being served bya suitably colored textile strand applied in an open helical formation thereto. The groups so formed may each be provided with preventing the absorpsome types of cables as a protectorvfrom the inductive influence of the circuits including the wires contained in the other groups of conductors in'a multigroup cable, the sheaths generally being composed of thin strips of tin or. lead foil helically A plurality of such groups, each group having a strand of a different color, are stranded together to form a single composite cable. The color' combinations of the pairs of conductors within each group and thedifferently colored strand applied to each group serve to identify the different circuits contained in each group and the different groups of circuits respectively, all conconductors and another for compacting and stranding the plurality of distinct groups into a single composite cable 'of predetermined cross-section. The forming of the cable in this manner using different mechanisms each separately driven and operated, it will be evident, necessitates the use of a considerable amount of floor space, a large number of attendants and a loss of operating time incident to the transfer'of the groups as formed and their separate assembly upon the group stranding and compacting appa- GRANGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF APPARATU FOR PRODUCING ELECTRICAL CABLES 1926. Serial No. 123,329.

ratus for stranding into the final composite cable.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for economically and expeditiously forming electrical cables of the hereinbefore described type, wherein the different operations are performed simultaneously. 0 In accordance with one embodiment of this invention as practiced in connection with the forming of telephone switchboard cables, a plurality of twisted pairs of insulated conductors are simultaneously withdrawn from a plurality of supply sources, uniformly distributed around and revolvable about an axis upon which the conductors finally converge, drawn through a grouping means revolvable with the supply sources to form the separate groups, thence each group is drawn through the axis of an individual cop of multiple end cotton thread also revolvable with the supply sourceswhere an identifying strand is applied thereto in helical formation. taneously with the foregoing operation a thin metallic tape is applied longitudinally thereover to form a continuous sheath thereon and finally the several distinct groups are stranded and compacted into a composite cable of predetermined cross-section.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the Simulaccompanying detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, I

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side view, partly in section, of the outlet end of a wire twisting or stranding apparatus embodying the features of this invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical. sectional views on the lines 22 and 3-3 respectively, thereof, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 4- of Fig.1 looking in the direction indicatedby the arrows showing in detail a telephone switchboard cable after leaving the compacting means, an

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation thereof.

the studs each being This invention will be described in connection with a wire twisting or stranding apparatus, such as is used in the manufacture of telephone cables of the type described and claimed in the co-pending application of J. H. Biggar, Serial N 0. 745,096, filed October 22, 1924. In orderto simplify the disclosure of the present invention only such elements of a stranding or serving apparatus have been shown as are necessary to a full and complete understanding of the invention. For a complete illustration and description of a stranding apparatus with which the present invention is particularly applicable, reference may be had to the co-pending application of G. R. Avery, Serial N 0. 709,332, filed April 28, 1924.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, a portion of the frame of a stranding apparatus is indicated at 10 with a hollow rotatable shaft 11 journaled therein. Attached concentrically to the end of the hollow shaft 11 by a plurality of screws 12 is a mounting ring 13 carrying three studs 14 spaced 120 apart, suitably secured to the at 15. Mounted upon the studs 14 a suitable distance from the ring 13 is a guide or grouping plate 16 provided in the present instance, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, with three uniformly spaced groups of apertures 18, each group comprislng 10 apertures through each of which is threaded a pair of individually insulated twisted wires 20. In the operation of thestranding ring 13 as indicate apparatus each pair of the wires 20 is drawn rom a freely rotatable supply and advanced toward the Fig. 1 at a predetermined rate and through its respective aperture 18 in the rouping plate 16. Also carried upon the stu s 14 and in suitable spaced relation from the plate 16 spool (not shown) right as viewed in is a plate 21 mounting in the present instance three uniformly spaced cops 22 of differently colored multiple endcotton threads. The cops 22 are fixed relative to the plate 21, a hollow axial core (not shown) formed from compressed cardboard or other suitable material and upon which the cotton thread is wound being pressed'over a plurality of radially extending fins (not shown) extending from the peripheral wall of a sleeve 24, which is secured at the desired angle to the right flat face of the plate 21 (Fig. 1) and projecting through the plate to the opposite side thereof. The longitudinal axial passageways of thesleeves 24 at their left end are bell mouthed to facilitate the threading and passage of the grouped pairs of wires 20 which conver e thereinto as they are drawn therethroug in the operation of the apparatus from the apertures 18 in the plate 16 and. are thus formed into a group of substantially circular cross-section. The cops 22 are mounted upon their supporting sleeves 24 so that the threads thereof unwind in a clock- "the studs 14 to the right of the cops 22 as viewed in Fig. 1, is a roll of thin lead tape 28 which in the operation of the apparatus is served longitudinally to the group of wires in such a manner that the line of the overlap, as clearly indicated in Fig. 5, is disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, the tape being guided to its respective group of wires 20 by guide pins 29 and 30. The guide pins 29 over which the tape is first led are mounted upon ears 32 formed integral with the plate 21, while the guide pins 30 are adjustably carried upon rods 33 in turn adjustably mounted upon the plate 21 and parallel to the'studs 14. The pins 30 are set at such an angle to the right face of the plate 21 that the tape after passing over the pins 30 is not led at an abrupt angle from its line of travel to the guide pin 29. In some instances it may be found desirable to substitute rollers for the guide pins 29 and 30, depending upon the type and strength of the tape 28 being served. A stationary sleeve 35 in axial alinement with the stranding apparatus is provided with an aperture having a contour corresponding to the desired shape of the finished cable, which may be drawn therethrough by a usual capstan mechanism 36. The sleeve 35 functions to compact the several groups of wires, in the present instance three, into the cylindrical composite form, as illustrated in Fig. 4. This is due to the fact that each group is relatively soft, caused by it being formed loosely in the stranding operation, and also that the identifying strand 22 and the thin lead tape 28 of each group are applied loosely thereon.

The operation of the cable fori'ning apparatus hereinbefore described is as follows:

The paired wires 20 are drawn manually from their respective supply spools (not shown) and threaded through their respective apertures 18in the plate 16 and there after through the axial passageways of the sleeves 24. Each of the resulting groups of conductors is then identified by attaching a different colored thread from the cops 22. thereafter a lead tape 28 is suitably attached to each group and the several groups passed through the compacting sleeve 35 and around the capstan 36 several turns. parent upon causing the hollow shaft 11 and the capstan 36 to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows F igs, 1 to 3. inclusive) that the twisted paired wires 20 will be drawn longitudinally through the apparatus continually being divided into separate groups, each group being served with an identifying thread applied in an open helical formation therealong and immediately thereafter sheathed with the lead tape 28 applied longi- It will be aptudin ally thereover in the manner hereinbeforethe entrance of moisture and the inductive in-' fluence of the associated groups of conductors upon one another, as well as extraneous inductive influences.

IVhat is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for forming telephone cables, a rotary member, a plurality of sleeves mounted therein and adapted to carry cops of binding material in fixed relation thereto,

. each of said sleeves a group of conductors to means for supplying to the interior of each of said sleeves a group of conductors to be bound, said-means including arotary disk having groups of guiding apertures therein for the conductors and means for serving the material to the group of conductors.

2. In an apparatus for forming telephone projecting" perpendicularly from said rotary member to rotatably support rolls of tape and guiding members adapted to apply the tape in closed longitudinal relation to each group of conductors.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 7th day of July, A. D. 1926.

HENRY ROGERS MASSINGHAM.

cables. a rotary member, a. plurality of sleeves mounted therein and adapted to carry cops of binding material in fixed'relation thereto, rotary means for supply to the interior of be bound, means for serving the binding material to the group ofconductors and means carried by the rotary member for supplying a covering to each of said groups.

3. In an apparatus for forming telephone cables, a rotary member, a plurality of sleeves mounted therein and adapted to carry cops of binding material in fixed relation thereto, meansfor supplying. to the interior of each of said sleeves a group of conductors to be I bound, means for serving the binding material to the group of conductors and means for supply a protective covering to each of.

said groups, said last mentioned means including members adapted to .rotatably support rolls of tape and guiding/members adapted to apply the tape in closed longitudinal relation. to each, group of conductors.

4. In an apparatus for forming telephone cables. a rotary member, a pluralityof sleeves mounted therein and havingtheir axes converging at a point-forwardly of said rotary member, said sleeves being adapted to carry oops of binding'material in fixed relation thereto, means for supplying to the interior of each of said sleeves a group of conductors to be bound, means for serving the binding material to the group of conductors and means carried by said rotary member for supplying a covering to each of said groups, said last mentioned means including studs 

